Devices for discharging measured amounts of a fluid material

ABSTRACT

A device for discharging measured amounts of a fluid material comprising a vertical cylindrical container having a plane bottom wall, having a cylindrical inner side wall portion adjacent the bottom wall thereof, and having at least one discharge orifice through said portion, and a helically wound wire having its winding axis extending around the axis of said portion and rotatable within the container along a path lying adjacent said discharge orifice of the container. At least a portion of the helically wound wire is arranged in annular configuration, so as to connect the inner periphery of said bottom wall.

United States Patent Ligouzat July 29, 1975 [54] DEVICES FOR DISCHARGING MEASURED 3,352,543 11/1967 Niederman et a1. 259/44 A 3,587,938 6/1971 BlOWl'l 222/228 [76] Inventor: Pierre Ligouzat, 49, rue des Tartres, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 92 Rueil, France 658,555 10/1951 United Kingdom 259/128 [22] Filed Apr 18 1974 341,311 6/1904 France 259/DIG. 45

[21] Appl. No.: 461,845 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-l-l. Grant Skaggs Related US. Application Data Attorney, Agent, or FzrmBro-oks Haidt Haffner & [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 299,467, Oct. 20, Delahunty 1972, abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] l BSTRA'CT Oct 26 1971 France 71 38484 A devlce for discharging measured amounts of a fluid material comprising a vertical cylindrical container [52] U S Cl 222/228. 2 259/8 having a plane bottom wall, having a cylindrical inner [51] l G011; 11/00 side wall portion adjacent the bottom wall thereof, [58] Fieid 228 235437 and having at least one discharge orifice through said 222/241 6 406 240 229 portion, and a helically wound! wire having its winding 8 axis extending around the axis of said portion and rotatable within the container along a path lying adja- [56] References Cited cent said discharge orifice of the container. At least a portion of the helically wound wire is arranged in an- UNITED STATES PATENTS nular configuration, so as to connect the inner periph- 2,185,021 12/1939 Bellamy et al. 222/230 f d b u 1L 3,171,658 3/1965 Clark 222/240 ery o Sal 0 Om wa 3,343,815 9/1967 Kingma 259/7 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures at n [.4 w

Ble 2/ Lira 217 PATENTED JUL 2 9 I975 Bib DEVICES FOR DISCHARGING MEASURED AMOUNTS OF A FLUID MATERIAL This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants application Ser. No. 299,467, filed Oct. 20, 1972, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to devices discharging measured amounts of a fluid material, in particular, powdery, granular products or liquids which have a relatively thick consistency.

Such devices of the invention are intended for use in industry and in laboratories, when the dispensing of this kind of material in accurate doses or quantities per unit time is required, and are particularly useful for the handling of products which are fragile or which easily cake together and easily build bridges of the material.

2. Description of the Prior Art For the dispensing of fluid materials, in particular, powdery, granular products or liquids which have a relatively thick consistency, it has been proposed to use an assembly of rectilinear helical elements rotated about the axis of the container. However, such elements, which extend radially of the container axis, are so flexible that the action thereof is irregular and unsuitable for the dispensing of predetermined amounts or doses of the material.

Numerous devices are also known for agitating prod-. ucts. They usually are provided with blades or beating means, the function of which is to mix the material in the container. However, such devices are not built either to ensure a good, regular conveying and output control or to prevent the materials from creating bridges upon the lateral wall of the container.

Furthermore, when solid blades are employed, a relatively powerful driving means is required to drive the blades, and such blades tend to fracture, and hence, damage fragile materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The drawbacks of the prior art devices are eliminated in the preferred embodiments of the invention, in which a helically wound, resilient wire, i.e., a wire wound like a helical spring with spaced turns, is mounted with its winding axis extending around the axis of a vertical driven shaft which is centrally disposed in a container having a wall portion closely adjacent the helically wound element. The inner periphery of said wall portion conforms to the peripheral surface of a cylinder, and a discharge orifice extends through such wall portion, the path of said helical wire extending closely adjacent said orifice.

The preferred embodiment of a device of the invention for discharging measured amounts of a fluid material comprises a vertical, cylindrical container having a plane bottom wall, having a cylindrical, inner side wall portion adjacent the bottom wall thereof, and having at least one discharge orifice through said portion and at least one helical element, arranged within said container in annular form around the vertical axis of said container and movable along a circular path adjacent to said bottom wall, said side wall portion and said discharge orifice. The result is a continuous regular dispensing of the material through the orifice and the ability to control the output according to the speed of rotation of the helical element.

Since the frontal area of such a helically wound wire, i.e., the surface thereof in a plane perpendicular to the winding axis thereof, is relatively small, especially as compared to solid blades, it is surprising that by the use thereof uniform dispensing of a material from the discharge orifice can be obtained. Of course, the spacing between the turns of the wire is large enough to permit the material to flow into the space between the turns and encompassed by the turns.

The device of the invention also provides the other following advantages, by reason of the use of a helically wound element:

the helical element is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Because the element is light in weight and requires relatively small drive means, the device may be light in weight, and may be easily carried and put on any surface at any level. The device may be assembled or disassembled for cleaning very quickly;

since the helical element may easily be made in varying lengths, or made in a long length and cut to the desired lengths, container size changes may be made easily during manufacture without requiring expensive tool and/or die changes;

there is no need for an additional conveying device from the outlet of the device to the apparatus re-. quiring doses of the product;

the driving power for the same amount of dispensed material is less than that required with solid blade devices;

due to the small contact surface of the element only a limited volume of the material, namely, that which is being conveyed to the orifice, is contacted at a given time;

the helical element, which is not rigid, is less quickly worn because it is not subjected to the pressures exerted by the product on rigid blades because of the resilience of the element;

the helical element, being resilient, may scrape the walls of the container of the present invention, by one point of each turn, avoiding the need for close manufacturing tolerances and preventing the formation of bridges of the material;

the helical element can be displaced both axially thereof and transverse to its axis, therebypermitting the element to accommodate to changes in consistency or density of the material. In the device of the present invention, the winding axis of the element is substantially fixed in position during movement of the element, and therefore, the element occupies the same general portion of the container. Accordingly, even though the dimensions of the element in relation to the dimensions of the container are not critical, no portions of the material are skipped during the conveying and dispensing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections of containers provided with helical conveying elements according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a container 1 which may be used to hold the material to be dispensed is generally cylindrical with a vertical axis. The container 1 has a plane bottom wall extending to a vertical side wall having its upper end tightly closed by a cover 2 which supports a motor 3 in the form of a combined motor and gearbox or a variable-speed motor.

In the embodiments illustrated, the container 1 is filled with material to be dispensed through the upper end thereof after removal of the cover 2 and the parts carried thereby. I-Iowever,'filling of the container 1 is not restricted to an inlet at the upper end of the container 1. It is possible to choose any other place in the wall of the container above or at the level of the lowermost helical element. Also, the material can be sent under pressure through a duct connected to an inlet orifice through the lower portion of the side wall without any problem.

On the other hand, the choice of the position of the discharge orifice 7 is very important and is situated at the periphery of the bottom wall and extends through the lower end of the side wall.

The main feature of the present device is one or more helical elements a-15c or 21a formed of a helically wound wire arranged in annular configuration and drivenin rotation around the vertical axis of the container 1 along a circular path. This element is the means for conveying and dispensing predetermined amounts of the material. 1

As shown in FIG. 1,.themotor 3 drives a shaft 4 located in the container, the shaft carrying at different heights in the container 1, annular helical elements 15a, 15b, 150, which are fixed on circular discs 16a, 16b, 160 secured to and rotatable by the shaft 4. When moved by said shaft 4 the elements 15a, 15b contact the side wall of the container 1 and the element 150 contacts the periphery of the bottom wall and the lower side wall through which the orifice 7 extends. although it is preferred to use more than one annular element in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a single annular element adjacent the bottom wall, e.g., 150 or 21a, may be adequate with some materials. The elements 15a-15c may be loosely fixed on the discs 16a-16c.

The arrangement in FIG. 1 permits the upper walls of the container to be scraped by means of the annular elements 15a and 15b, to facilitate improved supply of the material to the element 150 which effects discharge of the material through the orifice 7 provided in the container 1. These elements l5a-15c break bridges which may be created upon the side wall of the container. The discs 16a-16c prevent downward flow of the material except at the peripheries thereof and through the helical elements l5a-15c. The result is a regulated dispensing of the material which improves the conveying and dose dispensing effect.

Although the exact cause therefor is not known, it has been found experimentally that the amount, of the material discharged through the orifice 7 varies with the speed of rotation of the helical element in a predetermined and uniform way. Before dispensing a given material, the operator refers to a graph obtained empirically with the material and the device used. A simple reading of the graph will give the operator the time as a function of the speed of rotation of the shaft 4 required to discharge the desired quantity of the material out of the orifice 7.

Accordingly, by taking into account the number of revolutions of the driving means, the discharge time and the size of the discharge orifice 7, it is thus possible to discharge specific amounts of material in a given time and to supply regularly measured amounts of the material to be extracted from the container 1.

It will be observed that in the device of the invention, the turns of the element 150 are relatively closely spaced so that material is almost continuously conveyed to the orifice 7, thereby making the material flow through the orifice 7 substantially uniformly. However, with prior art devices employing blades or other devices which are relatively widely spaced in the direction circumferentially of the axis of rotation, the blades pass by the discharge orifice at relatively widely separated times, thereby causing surges and other irregularities in the delivery of material to the discharge. Such differences may be the explanation for the uniform and improved dispensing results obtained with the device of the invention as compared with prior art devices.

As an example of the dimensions of devices which have been found to provide the results of the invention, the following is given:

Element l5c wire diameter 2 mm. Element 15c turn diameter 25 mm. Element l5c turn spacing 20 mm. Container 1 internal diameter 200 mm. Orifice 7 diameter 410 mm.

All elements 15a-15c may be of the same size.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a helical spring 17 and a helical spring 18 of smaller diameter are arranged concentrically inside the container 1. Springs 17 and 18 are wound in opposite directions and are simultaneously driven in the same direction, about their axes, by the motor 3. The springs 17 and 18 are connected to the output shaft 20 of the motor 3 by a stirrup 19. A helical element 21 is mounted on the turns of the outer spring 17 and extends along the length of the spring 17. The helical element 21 is arranged to contact the walls of the container 1 and cause the material to be discharged through the orifice 7. The helical element 21 has an annular portion 21a which is in contact with the bottom of the container 1, said annular portion having an extension 21b which conforms to the shape of the spring 17 and which is in contact with the cylindrical vertical wall of the container 1.

The springs 17 and 18 promote the circulation of the material inside the container and ensure continuous supply of the product to the annular portion 21a of the helical element. Although use of the spring 18 is preferred, the spring 18 may be omitted if desired.

In the event the discharge orifice is blocked in the embodiments illustrated, the devices can continue to be driven without becoming jammed. Additionally, the helical element(s) is not subjected to the same discharge pressure by the material as occurs with solid blades.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for discharging measured amounts of a fluid material comprising:

a container having a bottom wall, having a cylindrical, inner side wall portion adjacent the bottom wall thereof and having at least one discharge orifice through said portion;

at least one helically wound element having a predetermined winding axis;

ment in a circular path adjacent to said discharge orifice and said wall portion.

fluid material comprising:

a container having a bottom wall, having a cylindrical, inner side wall portion adjacent the bottom wall thereof and having at least one discharge orimeans mounting said helical element with the wind- 5 fice through said portion, said cylindrical wall poring axis thereof extending at least once around and tion having an axis extending transversely to said spaced from the axis of said cylindrical portion and bottom wall; with at least a portion of said helical element immemotor means mounted on said container at the upper diately adjacent said wall portion and with the end thereof and having a rotatable output shaft winding axis thereof in a plane substantially per- 0 substantially co-axial with said axis; pendicular to the axis of said cylindrical portion, at least one helically wound element having a predesaid mounting means comprising a pair of springs termined winding axis; and wound helically and in opposite directions around means mounting said helical element from said shaft said axis of said cylindrical portion,the diameter of with the winding axis thereof extending at least one spring being larger than the diameter of the once around and spaced from said axis of said cyother spring and wherein said portion of said helilindrical portion, with the outer periphery of said cal element is in annular form and adjacent said helical element immediately adjacent said wall porbottom wall and another portion of said helical eletion and said orifice and with the winding axis ment is supported by said spring of larger diameter thereof in a plane substantially perpendicular to with its winding axis extending helically around the axis of said cylindrical portion whereby upon said axis of said cylindrical portion; and rotation of said shaft said helical element is moved means mounting said mounting means for rotation around said axis of said portion in a circular path around said axis of said cylindrical portion and adjacent to said discharge orifice and said wall porthereby moving said helical element around said tion to thereby discharge said material through said axis of rotation and said portion of said helical eleorifice, said mounting means comprising a spring wound helically around said axis of said cylindrical portion and secured to said output shaft, said spring having an annular portion adjacent said bottom wall, said helical element having an annular portion around said annular portion of said spring and having another portion around the helical portion of said spring.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diameter of said larger diameterspring is substantially equal to the diameter of the side wall of said container whereby said other portion of said helical element contacts the side wall of said container.

3. A device for discharging measured amounts of a 

1. A device for discharging measured amounts of a fluid material comprising: a container having a bottom wall, having a cylindrical, inner side wall portion adjacent the bottom wall thereof and having at least one discharge orifice through said portion; at least one helically wound element having a predetermined winding axis; means mounting said helical element with the winding axis thereof extending at least once around and spaced from the axis of said cylindrical portion and with at least a portion of said helical element immediately adjacent said wall portion and with the winding axis thereof in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of said cylindrical portion, said mounting means comprising a pair of springs wound helically and in opposite directions around said axis of said cylindrical portion, the diameter of one spring being larger than the diameter of the other spring and wherein said portion of said helical element is in annular form and adjacent said bottom wall and another portion of said helical element is supported by said spring of larger diameter with its winding axis extending helically around said axis of said cylindrical portion; and means mounting said mounting means for rotation around said axis of said cylindrical portion and thereby moving said helical element around said axis of rotation and said portion of said helical element in a circular path adjacent to said discharge orifice and said wall portion.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diameter of said larger diameterspring is substantially equal to the diameter of the side wall of said container whereby said other portion of said helical element contacts the side wall of said container.
 3. A device for discharging measured amounts of a fluid material comprising: a container having a bottom wall, having a cylindrical, iNner side wall portion adjacent the bottom wall thereof and having at least one discharge orifice through said portion, said cylindrical wall portion having an axis extending transversely to said bottom wall; motor means mounted on said container at the upper end thereof and having a rotatable output shaft substantially co-axial with said axis; at least one helically wound element having a predetermined winding axis; and means mounting said helical element from said shaft with the winding axis thereof extending at least once around and spaced from said axis of said cylindrical portion, with the outer periphery of said helical element immediately adjacent said wall portion and said orifice and with the winding axis thereof in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of said cylindrical portion whereby upon rotation of said shaft said helical element is moved around said axis of said portion in a circular path adjacent to said discharge orifice and said wall portion to thereby discharge said material through said orifice, said mounting means comprising a spring wound helically around said axis of said cylindrical portion and secured to said output shaft, said spring having an annular portion adjacent said bottom wall, said helical element having an annular portion around said annular portion of said spring and having another portion around the helical portion of said spring. 